The Ginger Man - J. P. Donleavy [51]
Suddenly Skully turned. He fiddled with the front gate. Closing it carefully behind. Giving it that unopened look.
Jittery, Sebastian went for a rest in the supine chair. Please, God, don't let Skully meet Marion or my goose will be cooked beyond recognition. I'm a man sitting here discovered. Only thing for it is to get a few quid to him. Mail them from East Jake. That black beast will be here, morning, noon, night and the hereafter and times between. O tis a world filled with woe and misunderstanding. Get the rent from Miss Frost and send off a few bob. Must now take precautions and everything organized for the siege.
And the fear. It's coming up from my toes and makes me feel empty and sick. I feel I'm standing before a blackness. Have to jump it and I won't make the other side. Blessed Oliver I put it to you again, get me through these exams. You may think me only a conceited Prod but there is more to me than that. And they judge me. Just with a paper with those little questions. And I can just see myself coming to the notice board O dreadful day. Looking at the paper with the names neatly on it Naturally I start with the first honors and then second and the last names of the third honors. No Sebastian Dangerfield. And the small note of damnation at the bottom of the white paper. One candidate unsuccessful. What do I know about law. Can't park in the middle of the street or make too much noise or present a state of undress to the public. And I know no man would ravish a maiden within age, neither by her own consent, nor without her consent, nor a wife or maiden of full age, nor other woman, against her will on penalty of fine and imprisonment either at the suit of a party or of the King.
O there are a few things I know all right And make up the odd case, never check up. Geek versus Gook. Why do you hound me so, Skully.
Marion arrived in through the garage with an armful of groceries.
"Sebastian?"
"What?"
"I thought you were going to do these dishes?"
"Couldn't"
"Why not?"
"Skully."
"What do you mean?"
"He was groping around the house all morning."
"O no."
"O yes. I told you."
"I knew it wouldn't last"
"Nothing, my good Marion, lasts"
"O dear."
"Quite."
"Will our lives ever be free."
"Cheer up, the worst's over."
"O shut up—we're back where we started."
"Not at all. At the end, Marion."
"And you tell me how we're going to explain all this hiding and not answering the door and things, to Miss Frost ?"
"You're forgetting Miss Frost is Catholic How do you think they survive in Ireland ? "
"And when he's snooping about ?"
"I'll send him a money order from the North of Dublin. Enclose a note telling him I'm staying there with friends"
"He won't be fooled"
"But must try. Any and every ruse. We must warn Miss Frost"
"Don't for heaven's sake"
"We've got to"
"Why?"
"Suppose Skully comes around some evening, pulling at doors and rapping on the windows. We can't sit here and do nothing. I'll just explain to Miss Frost that I met one of those people who go on outings from Grangegorman, mad as a hatter, bought him a drink and he's been after me ever since. She'll understand. This city's full of them."
"What a dreadful business it all is."
"Now Marion, cheer up. Have heart. Everything is going to be all right. Just leave it to me."
"I've made that mistake before. Why did we have to sign that lease. We'll have to pay the rent till it's up."
"A custom of the country. Just relax. Change our schedule of living. Tell Miss Frost about this crazy man—Catholics have great respect for the insane—and tell her we have to have the front of the house blacked out."
"O God, we can't suggest such a thing."
"We've got to. Now if we do that I'fl build a mobile barricade at the side of the house so Skully can't get to the back and then we can have the light on. Now I'll even deal with Miss Frost. There is a measure of rapport there."
"So I've noticed."
Marion went into the kitchen. Strained and pained. Hear her putting away the groceries, a good sound. I will not be beaten nor put down. Few more weeks of holding out and be out of it all Be in a position to give Skully his blood money. I will campaign in such a manner as to totally bring about an unconditional collapse of Egbert, the blood man. And the rest of them in the Rock could wait for theirs too. Peace is gone. No more of the sunny sessions with me Irish Times of a morning, looking over the mad growth in my little garden. But O aye, take the sun while ye may and when we pull the damp curtains over the soul of day, rest secure for we will see the light of day another time.